Ignition breaker



v 1,563,677 Dec' 1' 1925' w. F. WAGNER IGNITION BREAKER Filed Sept. l.1923 2 Sheets-Sheet; 1

fill/mi Dec. 1', 1925. 1,563,677

I w. F. WAGNER IGNITION BREAKER Filed sept. 1. 192s 2 sheets-sheet 2Patented Dec, 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM F. WAGNER, 0F AMBRIDGE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IGNITION BREAKER.

Application filed September 1, 1928. SeriaI No. 660,615.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. WAGNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ambridge, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Breakers;and I -do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to breakers for use in connection with the ignitionsystems of automobile and other motors, and has reference moreparticularly to breakers of the type employing a stationary contact, anda movable contact arm movable toward said stationary contact under theinfluence of a spring and forced away from the stationary contact by arotary cam.

It is one object of the invention to provide an ignition breaker ofextreme simarm, contact sprin plicity and hence one which is not liableto get out of order, provision being made whereby an adjustment tocompensate for worn contacts, may be made with the use of an ordinaryscrew-driver instead of requiring special miniature wrenches.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unique form of torsionspring for moving the contact arm toward the stationary contact, and toprovide means co-operable with an extended arm at one end of saidspring, for varying the tension ofthe latter, as required.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel association ofmovable contact carried by said arm, and cam-engaging s oe, theconstruction being such that the shoe could be relied upon if' desired,to limit the outward springing of the contact spring, with respect tothe larm, even if the usual hook for this purpose, were eliminated. l

Yet another object is to provide a novel mounting for the relativelystationary contact or contacts, including means for electricallyconnectin With the foregoing in view, the invention 'resides in thenovel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the descriptionbeing supplemented by the accompanying drawings.

a wire terminal thereto.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a breaker constructed in accordance withmy invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are vertical sectional views as indicated by lines 2 2and 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view as indicated by line 4 4 of Fig.2.

Figures 5 and 6 are detail vertical sectional views as indicated bylines 5 5 and 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating construction whichis preferably used for dual ignition.

. Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view as indicated by the irregularline 8 8 of Fig. 7.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectionalview on line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view on line lO-lO of Fig. 7.

In the drawings above briefly described, the numeral 1 designates thebase of the breaker which is provided with the usual downwardlyextending stub-shaft 2 by means of which it may be rotatably sup-vported for ad'ustment by the usual spark advancing an retarding meansconnected with the lateral ear 3. The numerals 4 merely designate theusual spring latches for connecting an insulating cover to the base 1,which cover commonly contains the distributor for supplying the currentto the spark plug wires. Extending through the stub-shaft 2 and thebreaker base 1, I have shown the well known vertical shaft 5 having theusual driving gear 6 atits lower end and provided at its upper end witha cam 7 for operating the breaker, said cam being provided with anupward extension 8 for carrying the dis.- tributor brush (not shown).

Rising rigidly from the base 1, is a post 9 which is preferably threadedinto said base as shown in Fig. 3. This post passes through aperturedears 10 on one end of a movable contact-carrying arm 11 which ispreferably stamped .from Hat metal. The upper and lower edges ofthe arm11 are provided with lateral Hanges 12 which extend in the samedirection, and an insulating shoe 18 is securedbetween the free ends Yof said flanges, by rivets or the like 14, said 65. y-being insulatedfrom the plate and being shoe being co-operable with the cam 7. Acontact spring 15 is secured at one end to the arm 11, by rivets orother desired means 16, at a point between the flanges 12 and the ears10, the free end of said spring being provided with a pair of contacts17 for coaction with stationary contacts, yet to. be described. Thespring 15 passes between the arm 11 and the shoe 13 and if desired, thisshoe may bev utilized to limit the swing of the spring 15 away from saidarm 11, but in most instances, I prefer to bend the free end of said arm11 to form a hook18 which limits the outward swing of the spring 15 andmoves the latter positively away from the stationary contacts when thearm 11 swings under the influence of the cam 7.

For the purpose of swinging the arm 11 toward the cam 7 and thestationary contacts, I have provided a torsional .spring 19 surroundingthe post 9 and provi ed with an extend-ed end 20 which contacts withsaid arm 11, the other end of said spring being extended to provide anarm 21 forengagement with any of a plurality of teeth or abutments 22,for the purpose of varying the tension of the spring, the outer end ofthe arm 21 being preferably bent to form a finger-piece 23 by' means ofwhich it may be engaged with and disengaged from the parts 22.

In the preferred form of construction, the parts 22 are in the form ofratchet teeth bent upwardly from one edge of a flat metal plate 24 whichis secured upon the base 1, b

a screw or the like 25, said plate being re erably provided with anopening 26 Fig.l 3) through which the post 9 passes, thus holding theplate against turning.

It will be seen that by`adjusting the arm 21 along the teeth 22, thetension of the spring 19 may be adjusted as required. Furthermore, whensaid arm is entirely disengaged from the teeth, the ears' 10 land spring19 may be bodily removed from the post 9, when it is necessary to removethe arm 11 and fparts'carriedf thereby for any reason.

The upper side of the base 1 is provided. with a channel 27 .whichextends in the@ direction in which the free end of the arm'll moves,under the inuence of the spring 19 andV the cam 7, said channel havingparallel side walls. Until further stated, reference will now be madeonly to the form of construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. Theseviews illustrate an insulating contact-carrying block 28 received in thechannel 27 and contacting with the parallel side walls of the latter,the upper surface of saidblock 28 having a channel 29 with parallel sidewalls, in which a horizontal metal plate 30 l. is received, said platehaving a slot 31 through which a screw 32 passes, said screw vceive theends of wire terminals.

threaded into the base 1, so that after adjustment of the plate 30, thelatter may be clam ed in place. One end of plate 30 is provided with abinding screw 33 .for electrically connecting a wire terminal 34thereto, while the other end of said plate is extended vertically asindicated at 35 and carries a pair of contacts` 36 which are inelectrical engagementtherewith and co-act with .the contacts 17. It mayhere be stated that if desired, only one of the contacts l7 and one ofthe contacts 36 may be used, but two of each are preferable. It will beseen that due to the mounting of the contacts 17 on the spring 15, whichisin turn carried by the. pivoted arm 11, said contacts will have awiping action on the contacts 36, which keeps both sets of contactsbright and shiny, so that they will operate effectively. As wear takesplace, requiring compensation, it is simply necessary to loosen thescrew 32 with an ordinary screw driver, adjust the plate 30 to thenecessary extent, land again tighten said screw. Saving in time andtrouble is thus effected over the usual breakers, in which speciallyconstructed minute wrenches are usually required to make adjustments.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10, a relativelylarge insulating carrier block 28a is received at its, lower portion inthe channel 27, in, contact with the parallel sides of the latter, andin the construction shown, this block 28a is provided with parallelbores 40 extending horizontally therethrough from end -to end, to formsockets in the opposite ends of said block. The sockets at one end areoccupied by a pair of metal sleeves 41 adapted to re- Fitting in thesockets at the other end of the block 28 are two plugs 42 which arecarried by the short arms of a pair of L-shaped conductors 43, said armsalso carrying a pair of stationary contacts 368L for co-'action with thecontacts 17. The longer arms of the conductors43 extend along one sideof the block 28, and screws 44 pass through these arms, and through theblock 28 and sleeves 41. These screws serve to hold the conductors 43,lugs 42 and contacts36 in place, as well as orming binding screws forholding the wire terminals in the sleeves 41. Obviously, the plugs 42prevent lateral shifting of the contacts 36. j

The construction just described, in connection with Figs. 7 to 1.0, isdesigned primarily for dual ignition, but b connectingv the two screws44 with a vsuitab e conductor, this same form of breaker can be used inconnection with the ordinary simple form of ignition system. fAll wiresmay Well pass through an opening 45 in the base 1 and I have illustrateda ybinding screw 46 adjacent said opening for the ground wire 41.

In the construction of Figs. 7 to 10, I prefer to secure the block 28nto the base 1, by a screw 32l passingthrough said block and threaded inthe base 1, the former being slotted at 31a to permit adjustment of saidblock in the channel 27, so that the contacts 36a may be adjusted asrequired, to compensate for wear.

By employing the construction shown and described, or a substantialegnivalent thereof, a breaker is provided which is extremely simple andhence comparatively inexpensive. Nevertheless, it is highly eliicientand reliable and is not liable to get out of order. Whenever, anyadjustment of the contacts isI necessary, it may be quickly and easilymade Without the use of special tools, and the entire movablecontact-carrying arm, may be bodily removed whenever necessary oradvisable. Moreover, the 'speed with which this arm moves under theaction Aof the spring, may be varied as occasion may demand, by properadjustment of the spring,

as above-set forth.

Excellent results have been obtainedfrom the 'details disclosed and theyare therefore preferably followed, but within the scope of the inventionxas claimed, numerous minor changes may be made. Y

I claim:

1. In an ignition breaker, a swinging arm,

- a post onwhich said arm is pivoted and from which it is slidable, astationary support carrying said post, a helical torsion springsurrounding said post and connected with said arm in a manner to preventrelative movement of the arm and spring longitudinally of the post, oneend of said Vspring having a lateral tensioning arm, and a series ofspaced overhanging abutments carried by said sup ort for holding saidtensioning arm in any desired position and for holding the spring andsupport a ainst relative' movement longitudinally ofg the aforesaidpost.

2. ,In ani 'tion breaker, a swinging arm having a au' of ears extendinglaterally in the same 'rection and provided with ahned openings, astationary support having a post received in said openings in a mannerto permit poStLahical torsion spring surrounding s'iliding'of said earsfrom said to. provide a4 tensioning arm, and a series of spacedoverhanging abutments carried by said support for holding saidtensioning arm in any desired adjusted position and for holding thespring and support against relative movement longitudinally of thefpost.

3. `An ignition breaker contact arm hav-` ing provision at one end forpivotal mounting, a portion of said arm having lateral flanges extendingin the same direction from its upperand lower edges, an insulating shoesecured between said ianges in spaced relation with said arm and adaptedto co-act With an arm-operating cam, and a contactcarrying springsecured to the arm between its pivotal axis and said block, said springextending between said arm and said shoe, and to the free end of theformer.

4. An ignitionvbreaker comprising a base formed in its upper side with achannel having parallel side walls, a contact member mounted on the baseand movable in a direction substantially parallel to said side walls, aninsulating contact carrier secured in said channel and engaging saidparallel side walls thereof, and contact means carried by said carrierand adapted for adjustment toward said movable contact member asnecessary. v

5. .Anignition breaker comprising an insulating carrying block having asocket in each of two opposite ends, an L-shaped conductor having a plugand a Contact on one of its two arms, said plug being received in one ofthe sockets, the other arm of said con-4 ductor lying against one sideof said block, a wire terminal-receiving sleeve in the other socket, andg screw passing through the conductor, block and sleeve to secure a wireterminal in said sleeve and to hold said conductor, plug and contact inplace.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aixed my signature. Y

f WILLIAM WAGNER.-

